Fastening device



Feb. 26, 1935. A. J. VIDAL 1,992,643

FASTENING DEVICE Filed March 19, 1934 flaw/2 ,657" I J); aw 7M Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES P'ATENT- OFFICE In France October 13, 1933 1 Claim.

The present invention has as object means for attaching earrings, brooches and similar objects. The invention comprises one or more eccentrically pivoted members on one or on the two sides overlapping the support, said members being associated with very light springs tending to rotate them in the direction of clamping, while an external member enables a reverse movement to be effected for disenga'gement.

The object carrying these means can thus be attached to its support (the lobe of the ear, edge of the material, etc.) without eifort and cannot be detached by a pull in the reverse direction, since in this case the eccentric member or members tend to grip the support more, the more violent the pull the greater the grip. To detach the object from its support the external control has to be operated to separate the eccentric members.

The invention thus enables the object to be securely fixed on the support without a constant tight gripping of the latter since tightening only occurs on intentional pulling. This is particularly noticeable in the case of earrings in which the gripping means and other means at present in use have the disadvantage of always gripping tightly in order to avoid slipping as a result of only occasional forces.

The annexed figures represent by way of example certain applications of the invention to earrings.

Fig. 1 is a view of the means applied to only one side of an attachment for earrings.

Fig. 2 is a variation on an attachment of the same kind, whose separation is adjustable by a screw.

Fig. 3 shows an earring in the form of a heavy ring in which the means are arranged on two sides of the opening in the ring. This gives rise to the impression that the ring passes through the ear, as represented in Fig. 4.

In these figures the same reference numerals represent the same members.

1 is the frame of the attachment; 2 is the extremity of one of the sides; 3 are the eccentric members; 4 their pivots.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the spring (not shown) tends to urge the member 3 into the position represented in full lines, while a projection 5 enables the spring to be counteracted to bring the member 3 into the position 3' (disengaging position).

In Fig. 2, the pivot 4 is mounted on a slide 6 adjustable with respect to 1 by means of a screw '7 having a knurled knob 8. r

In Fig. 3, each side has an eccentric member 3 on pivots 4 having at their extremities small levers 5 enabling them to be rotated by hand for disengagement. As the mechanism is carried in the interior of the ring it is almost invisible when on the car, since the small levers 5 (Fig. 4) are alone visible.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to eccentrically pivoted members, but includes all members having a similar effect. Thus for example an elliptically shaped member mounted at the point of intersection of its principal axes is equivalent to an eccentrically pivoted member, although strictly it could perhaps not be held to fall within that definition.

It is to be understood that the. embodiments above described and represented are given solely by way of example and can be varied to a large extent without departing from the fundamental features-of the inventionas characterized in the following claim.

I claim: 4

Means for attaching earrings, brooches and like ornaments to supports, comprising a ringshaped member having a gap therein and an eccentrically pivoted member adapted to contact with the support situated on either side of said gap, said ring being channelled on its inner side and providing recesses for the reception of clamping members, which are pivoted therein, and substantially hidden by the wall of the ring when applied to the ear of the wearer, said clamping members being provided with laterally projecting means for manipulating the same.

ANDRE JULES VIDAL. 

